Algeria has ordered 12 staff members from the French embassy to leave the country within 48 hours, France’s foreign minister confirmed on Monday. The move comes after the indictment of three Algerian nationals in France, including a consular official, on charges related to the 2024 abduction of Amir Boukhors, a prominent Algerian critic living in France.
The French officials are accused of involvement in the abduction of Boukhors, known online as Amir DZ, who has a large following of over one million people. Boukhors, 41, has been an outspoken critic of Algeria’s government and was granted asylum in France in 2023. He was abducted in April 2024 in the southern suburbs of Paris but was released the following day. Boukhors’ lawyer, Eric Plouvier, confirmed that this was not the first time Boukhors had been attacked, citing earlier incidents in 2022 and April 2024.
Algerian authorities have accused Boukhors of links to terrorist groups and other criminal activities, including fraud. They have issued nine international arrest warrants for him, but French courts have consistently blocked his extradition. Boukhors denies all charges.
In response to Algeria’s demand for the French embassy staff’s expulsion, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called on Algeria to reconsider its decision, warning that France would “respond immediately” if the expulsions were carried out. Barrot emphasized that the expulsions were linked to the indictment of the three Algerian nationals in Paris on Friday. The charges against them include abduction, arbitrary detention, and involvement in a terrorist organization.
The French government has expressed concern that this move by Algeria could further strain the already tense bilateral relations between the two nations. Algeria’s Foreign Ministry summoned the French ambassador in protest, demanding the immediate release of the consular official involved. The ministry also criticized the arrest, claiming it was conducted without the proper diplomatic notification and aimed at undermining efforts to improve relations.
The ongoing tensions between France and Algeria have been fueled by several incidents in recent months, including the arrest of French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal in Algeria, who was accused of undermining the country’s territorial integrity. Additionally, Algeria recalled its ambassador from Paris last year following France’s support of Morocco’s stance on the Western Sahara dispute.
Despite these tensions, both countries have made efforts to repair their relationship. In March, French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune held a phone call to discuss the state of bilateral relations. A few weeks later, Barrot visited Algeria, where he met with Tebboune and expressed hope for a new phase in their diplomatic ties.
As the situation develops, France is keen to avoid further escalation, but the expulsion of its diplomats threatens to complicate any progress in mending the fractured relationship between the two nations.
